It's not too surprising, then, that you can now also medicate through the cold, refreshing taste of a soda.
And we're not just talking about Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda, a brand launched in Denver that suggests but does not actually contain marijuana. Like the Coke ads used to say, "It's the real thing."
There are plenty of recipes online for homemade marijuana drinks featuring colorful names like "Green Dragon Soda." But several Colorado-based companies are also now mass producing marijuana soda lines. We tracked down two examples and compared them below. Though, for a real Pepsi Challenge, it's best to grab a bottle of each from your friendly neighborhood dispensary and try a blind taste test. Bottoms up, but take it from us: Go slow on the guzzling.
Keef Cola www.keefcola.com Hometown: Boulder, Colorado Tag line: A real "Sparkling Medicated Cola" in a variety of desirable flavors. Flavors: Regular cola, orange, grape, blue-raspberry, lemonade, lemon-lime and root beer. Launched: April 2010 Fun facts: The company also offers something called "Keef Cola Extreme XXX." We don't know exactly what this is, but it sounds intriguingly dangerous. Where to buy: Dozens of dispensaries along the Front Range, and the company is working on expanding to a manufacturing facility in San Luis Obispo, California. Reminds us of: Coke. The operation seems to be aiming to corner the marijuana-drink market with the mentality of a corporate juggernaut. Dixie Elixirs www.dixieelixirs.com Hometown: Denver, Colorado Tag line: The patient's choice for alternative MMJ treatment. Flavors: Lemonade, sweet tea, pink lemonade, strawberry, orange, grape and root beer. Launched: Early 2010 Fun facts: The company also offers extra-strength watermelon and spearmint varieties in one-ounce "dew drop" bottles, in case you're the type of person who gets all burpy from drinking regular-size sodas. Where to buy: A variety of Colorado dispensaries. Reminds us of: Oogavé. The two companies' labels are so similar we're wondering if the popular Denver-based agave soda company has launched a secret side project.
